Evans & Khalifa Celebrate Dutch Delight
by Howard Harding

July 11, 2011
- Egypt's Osama Khaled Khalifa and Welsh wizard Tesni Evans won the U19 titles in the Dutch Junior Open Squash Championships - both champions coming from behind to triumph in the finals of the European Squash Federation Super Series Junior Circuit event celebrating its 25th year at the Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam.

Second seed Khalifa became one of the event's youngest ever champions when he upset favourite Tyler Osborne in the men's final. The 16-year-old from Cairo - the younger brother of 18-year-old World Junior champion Amr Khaled Khalifa - was making his first appearance in an ESF U19 event.

But after toppling Canada's third seed Michael McCue in the semi-finals, Khalifa extended top-seeded Canadian Osborne to a 34-point first game before prevailing 16-18, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 to claim the title.

An all-Welsh final was predicted in the women's event - but third seed Maria Elena Ubina saw off Welsh national championship runner-up Hannah Davies, the No2 seed, in the semi-finals to claim an unexpected place in the climax.

And the 16-year-old from Connecticut in the USA took the early advantage in the final as Evans dropped her first game of the championship.

But the Cardiff-born 18-year-old favourite then took control as Evans marched through to her 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 victory.

The triumph marks Evans's third ESF junior circuit title of the season, after winning the Swiss Junior Open in December and the Welsh Junior Open in March.

RESULTS: Dutch Junior Open Squash Championships, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Men's U19 quarter-finals:
[1] Tyler Osborne (CAN) bt Aqeel Ashkanani (KUW) 11-4, 13-11, 11-5
[5] Marc ter Sluis (NED) bt Alfonso Marroquin (COL) 11-3, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10
[3] Michael McCue (CAN) bt [9/16] Aitor Zunzunegui (ESP) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6
[2] Osama Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt [7] Matthew Sidaway (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-7

Semi-finals:
[1] Tyler Osborne (CAN) bt [5] Marc ter Sluis (NED) 11-5, 11-8, 13-11
[2] Osama Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt [3] Michael McCue (CAN) 11-2, 11-6, 11-7

Final:
[2] Osama Khaled Khalifa (EGY) bt [1] Tyler Osborne (CAN) 16-18, 11-7, 11-8, 11-6


Women's U19 quarter-finals:

[1] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [8] Rachel Leizman (USA) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
[9/16] Camille Lanier (POR) bt [9/16] Isabelle Dowling (USA) 11-9, 11-1, 7-11, 9-11, 11-3
[3] Maria Elena Ubina (USA) bt [6] Katie Smith (ENG) 11-4, 11-9, 11-7
[2] Hannah Davies (WAL) bt [9/16] Ilona Lagerweij (NED) 9-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-8

Semi-finals:
[1] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [9/16] Camille Lanier (POR) 11-8, 11-9, 11-5
[3] Maria Elena Ubina (USA) bt [2] Hannah Davies (WAL) 11-8, 2-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-7

Final:
[1] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [3] Maria Elena Ubina (USA) 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-3
Evans & Khalifa Celebrate Dutch Delight



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